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Spirit will soon serve more cities in Colombia than any U.S. airline

Jan. 07, 2020
2 min read
Spirit Airlines A320 BWI
Spirit will soon serve more cities in Colombia than any U.S. airline
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Spirit Airlines will add two more cities in Colombia to its route map in April, giving it the most destinations in the South American country of any U.S. carrier.

The South Florida-based discounter will add service between its Fort Lauderdale (FLL) base and Barranquilla (BAQ) on April 23, and Bucaramanga (BGA) on April 22, Spirit said Tuesday. Both routes will operate thrice-weekly on Airbus A320 family aircraft.

With the additions Spirit will serve seven cities in Colombia: Armenia (AXM), Barranquilla, Bogota (BOG), Bucaramanga, Cali (CLO), Cartagena (CTG), and Medellin (MDE). By comparison, American Airlines serves six cities in the country, and JetBlue Airways three cities, according to Cirium schedules.

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"We are very proud of our service growth to Colombia," said Spirit CEO Ted Christie in a statement. He added that the airline is "excited" to add the two new cities.

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Spirit plans to grow capacity by 17-19% year-over-year in 2020 with the arrival of at least 21 new Airbus A320neos.

In addition to the rapid growth, Spirit is upgrading its onboard experience with a new cabin and seats. The airline also hopes to begin offering inflight Wi-Fi, and roll out an updated loyalty program this year.

Related: Check out Spirit Airlines’ first jet with its new seats and cabin

Spirit serves Colombia from its Fort Lauderdale and Orlando (MCO) bases, the latter opened in October 2018.

Spirit faces no direct competition on either the Fort Lauderdale-Barranquilla or Fort Lauderdale-Bucaramanga routes. However, American and Avianca fly between nearby Miami (MIA) and Barranquilla, Cirium schedules show. No airlines offer flights between the U.S. and Bucaramanga, which sits in an interior region of northern Colombia.

Related: Exciting new airline routes from December 2019 and beyond

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.